MSc Health Psychology

Welcome to UCL

What is Health Psychology?

Health psychology is a rapidly expanding discipline that can be defined as the practice and application of psychological methods to the study of behaviour relevant to health, illness and health care. Health psychologists use psychological principles to promote changes in people’s behaviour and their associated beliefs about health and illness.

The Health Behavior Research Centre helps to coordinate
the UCL MSc Health Psychology programme, a research-based, BPS-accredited Stage
1 qualification. The programme is the longest-running MSc Health Psychology in
the UK, and offers unrivaled teaching, delivered by leading experts in their
field. The HBRC undertakes research aimed at advancing our understanding of behaviours that have a major impact on health and to contribute to the development of interventions to promote healthy lifestyles. The Centre is part of the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, UCL.

**Bursaries now available for 2015/16 entry**

There are several bursaries available for Master’s study at UCL as part of the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE)'s 2015 Postgraduate Support Scheme. Click here for information.

Key benefits of studying Health Psychology at UCL

Recent REF 2014 ratings show that UCL is the top research university by research strengths

UCL has been leading the field in Health Psychology research since 1987 and employs the largest number of health psychology researchers in the country;

The course is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS) which ensures not only the quality of the course but also that the widest range of training, development and employment opportunities are open to students;

The course is delivered by the leading experts in their field, for example Professor Andrew Steptoe (Course Director) delivers the lecture on cardiovascular disease

Students can expect a high proportion of one-to-one contact and support, having termly academic tutorials and access to personal and departmental graduate tutors and dedicated supervisors;

Professional development of students is actively encouraged through teaching (e.g. on effective job applications and interview techniques), careers lectures, placements and work opportunities within various research groups.

Internationally renowned course attracting students from all over the world

Availability: Full-time 1 year; Part-time 2 years

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits. The
programme consists of eight core modules (120 credits) taught in the first two terms, a placement in the last term and a research
dissertation (60 credits) due at the end of the academic year. The course is accredited by the British Psychological Society as Stage 1 training toward becoming a Chartered Health Psychologist.

Core Modules

This module is designed to equip students with the skills to work as a professional researcher within appropriate ethical and regulatory frameworks. The focus of the module will be on developing practical skills (written and presentational), learning how to identify and critically appraise research literature, and understanding legal and ethical obligations.

The module provides an introduction to quantitative research methods and statistical methods, and qualitative data collection and analysis. The basic principles of study design and methodology are introduced. Quantitative statistical analysis methods are taught using SPSS and include ANOVA, regression analyses and statistics for questionnaire design. An overview of qualitative research methods is provided.

The module provides a detailed discussion of qualitative research, and advanced statistical methods for primary and secondary analysis of quantitative data. The ‘qualitative’ component incorporates lecture-and-workshop sessions on three methods, chosen to cover the two main epistemological approaches to qualitative analysis (realist vs contructivist). The ‘quantitative’ component is lecture-based.

The module provides a state-of-the-art overview of key health psychology theories and constructs and shows how they are applied to explain and predict commonly studied health-related behaviours (including dietary consumption, exercise, and smoking) and health outcomes.

This module is designed to increase knowledge of associations between individual, social and cultural factors on health. The module focuses on: understanding developmental and lifespan frameworks; developing an appreciation of the effect of individual differences, gender, ethnicity, culture, and class on the psychology of health and health care delivery; and approaches to health adopted by related disciplines.

This module is designed to increase students` understanding of concepts and issues related to stress, health and illness. This module will look at how health psychologists can measure stress and limitations of these approaches. The psychophysiological response to acute and chronic stress will be described for healthy and chronically ill populations. Factors that may promote or moderate the stress response will be explored e.g. ageing, coping. The module will also critically examine the theoretical framework of the cognitive behavioural approach to stress management.

This module is designed to develop a knowledge base in relation to psychological, social and cognitive influences on chronic illness and management of chronic disease. The module will cover self-management interventions and theory, evaluation of complex interventions, practical issues related to implementation of such interventions, and theories of pain and pain management, as related to specific chronic illnesses and long-term conditions (e.g. diabetes and cardiovascular disease).

This module is designed to provide students with a knowledge base in the provision and delivery of health care. It will develop understanding of the structure and operation of different health care systems, including the NHS; managing change and leadership; health economics; issues around medical decision-making; models of doctor-patient communication; the impact of hospitalisation, stressful hospital procedures and screening; and developments that will impact on delivery of health care in the future such as telehealth and genetics.

Placements / Work Experience

During the last term, students will be offered a placement in an academic, clinical or professional (e.g. NGO, charity) setting which will last for a minimum of one week. Some examples are National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, UCL School of Pharmacy, Renal Department Royal Free Hospital, International Longevity Centre UK, Weight Concern, Smokers’ and Weight Clinic Queen Mary, Cancer Research UK, MRC Clinical Trials Unit UCL, etc.

Some project titles from 2012/13:

Health professionals' attitudes as a predictor of intention to recommend cervical screenings and the HPV vaccine - a questionnaire based study.

Is inflammation driven mainly by somatic symptoms of depression in patients with heart disease?

The impact of midlife tea and coffee consumption on cognitive decline in early old age in the Whitehall II cohort

Leaver Destinations

Past Student Experiences

Aleksandra Herbec (MSc Health Psychology: 2012 - 2013)

Sundus Mahdi, UCL (MSc student: 2013-14)

As I was looking through the online prospectus of MSc Health Psychology, in all honesty there was not a module that seemed remotely boring. Additionally, as the course was assignment-based I felt that this worked well in controlling my stress-levels (and it did)! Throughout the course I felt that the teaching staff were extremely knowledgeable, with some of the top researchers in their respective fields delivering lectures personally. I particularly appreciated the work placements organised by the course for those wishing to gain work experience within the field of health and clinical psychology; some with highly reputable organisations such as IAPT and NICE. I appreciated the long list of available research projects advertised to students - these really tapped into the different interests and realms within health psychology, so there was a little something for everybody. My interests were centred on, though not limited to, obesity prevention. I undertook a research project on the predictors of weight gain prevention intentions. I devised a questionnaire that explored whether individuals were more motivated by health or appearance concerns to prevent weight gain, and whether this differed by age. My supervisors were highly supportive throughout the whole process, which made me love the research I was doing even more. This positive experience led me to ponder over a career within research. The research project was a fantastic opportunity and a learning process. It did indeed help me kick-start my career. I landed my first job as a Research Assistant in less than a month after completing my Masters. I now have to use essential skills taught to me on the course, such as how to conduct systematic reviews, carry out advanced statistical tests and how to devise questionnaires.

Victoria Nelson, UCL (MSc student: 2013-14)

I first discovered the MSc Health Psychology programme at UCL in looking for a course to unify my background in psychology and biology with my interest in improving healthcare delivery. UCL thus became my obvious first choice in university due to its high research quality ratings and global perspective.

The course structure provided an effective balance of skill development and expert perspective. Core instructors delivered a challenging curriculum which built my confidence in interpreting and disseminating health literature. World-renowned researchers delivered lectures on specific health topics in their respective fields of expertise. Opportunities were also provided to engage in conducting research, particularly through my MSc project on smoker identity and electronic cigarettes, and through a placement at the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).

Overall, the Health Psychology course enabled me to develop a firm knowledge base, research skill set, and confidence to pursue a research career in healthcare. I am currently pursuing positions in health research organisations with an evidence-based mission, and plan to eventually pursue a PhD in order to have a positive impact on healthcare delivery and policy.

Kate Sheals, PhD student, UCL (MSc student: 2012-2013)

I became interested in Health Psychology during my undergraduate degree, particularly in the role of psychology in reducing the impact of lifestyle related diseases such as those caused by smoking and obesity. UCL was my first choice of university to attend for the course, in part due to its reputation for excellence and further due to the breadth of topics covered during the course and the available opportunities for practical experience provided through placements.

I found the MSc to be enjoyable and engaging, with excellent teaching provided by experts in the topics covered. There were also excellent opportunities to become involved in research being conducted at UCL during the course, and to gain applied experience during the placement offered. During the course I gained knowledge of the practical and theoretical aspects of health psychology, alongside developing skills in research and statistics. This provided an excellent basis from which to pursue a career in research, and upon graduating from the course I secured a position as a research assistant within the Health Psychology Research Group at UCL. I am now a PhD student in the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health at UCL, researching the role of electronic cigarettes in harm reduction amongst people with mental illness.

Laura McDonald, PhD student, UCL (MSc student: 2010-2011)

I undertook the MSc in Health Psychology to pursue an interest in understanding and helping to improve health behaviours, particularly those implicated in diet and obesity. The reputation of UCL as a world-leading research and teaching institution meant that it was always my first choice when deciding where to take-up the course. I was not disappointed; the course was well-organised and sufficiently varied to reflect the wide-scope of the discipline. The teaching was unrivalled and it was a privilege to be taught by prominent figures within health psychology and expects within the field.

The MSc was nonetheless challenging and required a great deal of motivation and hard work to achieve the high standards required by the course leaders. However, as a result I graduated with a solid grounding in the principals of health psychology, its research methods and application. The knowledge and enthusiasm I gained for health psychology during the MSc has motivated me to pursue a PhD within the field. I will continue the work I started during the course, trying to better understand how sleep behaviour might impact appetite and weight regulation in young children.

Samantha Quaife, Research Assistant, UCL (MSc student: 2010 - 2011)

It was during my undergraduate degree that I first became interested in Health Psychology, when I learnt that stress can actually slow wound healing. I became fascinated with this mind-body connection and the huge potential for Health Psychologists to improve public health. I decided I wanted to make this my career and undertook the MSc course at UCL in 2010/11.

Although challenging, I enjoyed the course and benefited from the expertise of a wide variety of external lecturers who came to teach their own specialist topics. As well as opening my eyes to the broad application of Health Psychology, the course provided me with a thorough grounding in key issues for Health Psychologists and allowed me to develop excellent skills in statistics and research. On completion of the course, I worked for a year as both a Health Promotion Practitioner and Stop Smoking Advisor in Nottingham City. This allowed me to develop practical skills in behaviour change and observe social inequalities in health first hand. This experience further increased my understanding of the huge potential Health Psychologists have to improve public health and I was eager to be involved in better understanding how. Since returning to London, I am now working as a temporary research assistant at UCL with the aim of pursuing a career in Health Psychology research.

Advice & Information Day

We are now running Advice & Information sessions for you to know more about the programme.

Next session is on 14 April 2015 (10:30 am - 12:00 pm). Register by emailing m.sajid@ucl.ac.uk

The application process entails shortlisting and an interview. Places are allocated on a rolling basis.

Who can apply?

The programme is suitable for students who wish to develop a thorough grounding in health psychology as preparation for a subsequent research degree or employment in a related field.

A minimum of an upper second-class (2.1) Bachelor's degree in Psychology from a UK university, or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard. Lower second-class (2.2) or equivalent degrees may be accepted if evidence of further study or relevant work experience is provided.

However, applicants must have Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) with the British Psychological Society (BPS) if they want to pursue a career as a Chartered Health Psychologist practising in the UK. The stage 1 qualification will also be recognised retrospectively, if GBC has been completed following the MSc.

What are we looking for?

When we assess your application we would like to learn:

why you want to study Health Psychology at graduate level;

why you want to study Health Psychology at UCL;

how your academic and professional background meets the demands of this programme;

where you would like to go professionally with your degree.

Together with essential academic requirements, the personal statement is your opportunity to illustrate whether your reasons for applying to this programme match what the programme will deliver.

Deadline

Fees

UK/EU 2015/16: £8,755 (FT)

Overseas 2015/16: £22,350 (FT)

Funding

UCL ESRC Doctoral Training Centre grants are available for 2015/16. All PhD applications should be made to the relevant Department (not directly to the UCL ESRC DTC) and candidates who are successful at securing a place to study may then be put forward by the Department for consideration for an ESRC studentship. Further details can be found here.

In addition, UCL offers a range of financial awards aimed at assisting both prospective and current students with their studies.

From 2016, loans of up to £10,000 will be available to students studying postgraduate taught courses at UK universities, aged 30 and under. They will be available to part-time and full-time students.